Load frame testing is a critical part of product design, development and manufacturing the product at large scale. The load frame testing involves subjecting a test sample to various loading and environmental conditions to evaluate how it performs in real life conditions. The test results help in determining the durability strength of a particular sample and reliability of a particular design. For this purpose, load frames need to be accurate in measuring the parameters such as amount of applied sustained load on a sample and the value of the fluid temperature.
Typically, a load frame comprises a base, pillars/columns, a moving crosshead which moves along the pillars, and mechanical means such as screws for engaging the movement of the cross head. A load cell is attached to the crosshead. The load cell is a transducer that creates electrical signals based on the force measured. The traditional systems for load frame testing employ different types of load cells such as hydraulic load cells and strain gauge load cells, where strain gauge load cells are the most commonly used in the load testing industry.
Traditional systems of load testing have limitations. Some of these limitations are that the stress and strain (load and elongation) cannot be measured and monitored as a function of time. Other limitations include a lack of adaptation to be used to test different specimens of different physical dimensions such as thickness, lengths and breadth. Also, traditional load testing systems fail to provide an appropriate physical/mechanical structure for securely fixing the test specimens. In addition, traditional load testing systems fail to measure test specimens in different environmental conditions. Another limitation is that the traditional load frame testing systems are not portable.